Garment press



july i, 192.,

P. N. BRAUN. v MRMENT PRESSy original File oct.. 18. 192s 2 sheets-'sheet 1 y 3,12%, 1,676,423 P. N. BRAUN GARMENT PRES S original Filed 00u18, 192s 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented c.lluily l0, 19218.

y naar PHLIP N. BRAUN, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK,

assrenoa, BY amena ASSIGNMENTS,

TO THE PROSPERITY COMPANY, INC.,l OF SYRACUSE, YORK, A. CORPORATION- or NEW YORK.

GARMENT PRESS.

Application sied october is. 1923, seriai No. 669,230. aenewed s eftemb'er as, 1927.

This invention relates -to pressing machines, and 'more particularly to garment presses possessing .improvements therein 1ntended to produce-'etiicient," smooth, quiet,

and easily 4operatedpresses capa ducing great-pressure.

A main bject of the invention is to prolile of provide improvements in power pressing ma ff chinos together with .improvements in kick-y ofi' and press openih mechanism Vdesigned to absorb the opening stresses to allow the machine to open rapi4 ly without strain and noise;v and it is a rther object to produce a pressing in: ine having facilities for closing the .press lightly under initial .jaw pressure, and subsequently increasing the Vcompression between the closed press jaw members to produce final great pressure.

lVith the above principal objects in view, the accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention serving to lisclose the construction and mode of operation existing in my improved pressing machine. The machine may be varied in construction, operation and use without de parting from the principles of my invention.

Figure 1 illustrates a side view of the pressing machinewith all parts in open p0-v 2 illustrates a detailedsectional view of the improved cushioningl device which functions during the openingA -sition; and Figure movement of -the press., Figure-k3 shows a section upon the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring now more drawings for a tion of the invention, there is Ashown a press.-

ing machine frame 5 upon which is pivoted at 4 a press lever 6. A press head or jaw 7 is carried on the forward end of the press lever While a. depending link 8 is pivotally swung at 9 on the back end of the press levor. A head closing handle 10 is carried forwardly of the press lever'or head by which the operator manually closes the head, and it is to be observed that a counter ballance weight is employed to balance the head to cause the press -lcver to easily swing on its pivot 4. A bell crank or lifting lever 11 is pivoted at 12 on thc frame; and a toggle bell crank, embodying au upper link13 integral with a lower kick-oil arm 14, is pivoted at 15 upon the particularly to the` further and detailed descrip.`

lower horizontal arm 1,6 of the lifting leverl 11. 1 It is observed therefore how the toggle bell crank 13-14 may be subjected `to an up M and down motion through. the agency of the v bell crank 11.

- The forward end of the kick-'0E arm 14 is preferaby providedV with a detachable foot piece 17, and to this end the parts 14 and 17 00 may be provided with a shank and socket connection bolted together for the purpose of rendering it convenient to discard the pedal or mount it on the machine, depending upon the operators wishes. The kick-olf @5 arm .14 is primarily Vdesigned to expedite'the opening `of the press, but it may be converted into a head closing pedal by using the foot piece 17 thereby enabling the operator to use his foot as well as his hands in closing the press.

A hi gh pressure or powerrpedal 20 is piv oted at some suitable place on the frame and in this instance it is carried on the pivot pin 12. An adjustable link 21 connects the 75. pedal 20 with a high pressure secondary toggle consisting of links 22 and 23, one vof which is pivotally mounted on the frame, while the other end of. this toggle is pivoted at 24 to the lifting lever bell crank 11; and 80 it is observed how the toggle 22-23 isv straightened by pressing the pedal 2O which oscilla-tes the lift lever upon its bearing 12.

The pedal 20 is provided with an `overhanging lug 39 and adjusting screw which 85 reaches over into ,vertical alignment above the kick-oli arm 14; and the lug is engaged by the rising kick-off arm during the open# ing of the press to bring-to bear against all moving .parts a cushioning effect carried outl by my improved dashpot as will be described.

A pressing machine of this character develops great pressure with the expenditure of substantially little effort, and the operation of the pressing machine is convenient and easy to the operator because of the fact improved kick-olf or both, closes the pressing machine to pro# duce initial or light pressure; and thereafter "the operator depresses the pedal 20 which forcibly oscillates the bell crank arm 16 upwardly through a short distance thereby liftingnpwardly on the straightened toggle 8-13 which generates high compression between press jaws, i. e. the head 7 and buck or work support 18.

A pressing machine of such structure and generating extreme pressure, necessarily requires improved mechanism for smoothly opening the press, and to this end I provide means and a cushioning device. A dashpot has a connecting rod 27 which attaches to the high pressure pedal 20, and the dashpot is preferably fixed upon the frame. After the pedal 2O is driven ldownwardly to produce extreme pressure and following the release thereof, the force of the moving parts coming from under compression is very great by virtue of the re- .lease of the strain to which the entire machine is subjected, and the air confined in the cylinder 25 above piston 26 is quickly com-v pressed to produce a smooth noiselessV open- The pedal 20 having ing press movement.

the air having become risen aV part way and .compressed and confined in the upper part of the cylinder 25, it now becomes desirable to instantly and automatically open the dashpot to permit the compressed air to discharge therefrom in order that the remainder of the opening stroke be quickly accomplished; and to this end I provide an automatic valve in the form of an exhaust port- 29 located at the upper end of the dashpot cylinder 25, and

the port is vfitted with a Yhand regulating valve 19. A valve stem 30 provided with an air exhaust passage 31 is 4carried on the piston and is adapted to reciprocate thru the cylinder head and over the port 29. Air intake ports 32 are located. in the piston to admit air into the upper part of the cylinder 25 during the downward stroke. of the pedal 20; and a. loose fiap valve 33 rests over the -ports 32 to close them during the upward stroke of the'piston and to open them during the downward piston stroke. v

It is observed how the upper solid end of the valve stem 30 closes and seals the port I 29 during a partof the piston travel, but

when the piston has traversed a portion of the dashpot length, the passage 31 registers with the exhaust port 29 and thereby releases the compressed air from the dashpot. It is significant that the air is not released but it is confined under pressure during the first few degrees of pedal movement thereby thoroughly absorbing or dissipating' the shock and strain incident to the expanding energy of the opening press` but after this object has been accomplished, the. port 29 is automatically opened to permit the press head 7tto continue its upward movement in a rapid manner'unretarded by the dashpot except as by the escape of air thru the hand adjusted regulating valve' 19 which is properly set by trial to secure the best results.

A kick-off or release pedal 35 is pivoted at 36 on' the frame and is provided wit-ha high -pressure pedal kick-off or release means in Ofi' arm 14. When thehead 7 is closed upon 'A the buck '18, the kiek-off quitereach the upper end arm 14 does not of the screw 38 and therefore said pedal 35 possesses lost mo'- tion before it acts against the kick-off arm 14 to break the operating toggle 8-13 and lift the head 7; and it 'is this lost motion which permits the other screw 37 to first thrust upwardly against the high pressure pedall420 thereby first causing this pedal to rise, and immediately and subsequently the pedal 17 'rises by virtue of the thrust of the member 38- against the said member 14.

Preferably the .power pedal 2O goes down.

against the release screw 37; and the kickofil arm 14 goes down approximately to the screw 38 but stops short thereof which arrangement 'and adjustment of parts permit-s .the high pressure pedal 20 to. be first thrust upwardly to first remove the final high pressurefrom the machine prior to opening the press.

Springs 41 and 42 have' their one ends fixed to the frame and the other ends attached to the pedals,jand these springsfacilitate the opening of the press and the lifting -of the head high above the buck. During the first opening sta-ge of the press. the air lock in the da'shpot prevents thev pedal 20 from rising too rapidly, but immediately thereafter the spring 41 raises the pedal 20 to its normally upwardly limited position when the automatic valve in the dashpot opens to discharge the compressed air and relieve the air lock.

Trouble with pressing machines is sometimes experienced in the violent openingl or rising of the head which causes the head to kick back or'rebound thus partly and prematurely closing the head when in fact it should remain up, and these difficulties are encountered by reason of the fact that the first' few degrees of the head opening is permitted unopposed without any cushioning or retarding effort. Since the force of the opening of the press and lifting of the head is in my invention by the closed dashpht, the

said hcadwill not rebound and partivayclose l,

and willv not thereby reduce the efficiencyof the machineas well I provide a secondary cushioningfunction as that of' the opelratgm-4 As a further and final cushioning means- Larmes.

in the form of 'a reduced or restricted air passage 40 which joins with the larger air passage 31, and this passage 40 practically closes the discharge port 2S) by the tiine the head 7 has reached .its uppermost position, and the effect of the reduced air passage 40 is to-again and for'the' second time confine or partly confine a small remaining quantity of air Wit-hin the upper portion-of the dashpot to cause the head 7 to easily andquietly assume a position of rest when it opens, for as the head rises, the kick-off arm 14 rapidly overtakes the slower -rising power pedal 20 and quickly brings up against the overhanging lug or contact pad 39 thus in effect joining up the two heretofore independently moving parts 14 and 20, and this mode of operation now concentrates or directs all the opening st-rain of both independent sets of mechanisms into one direct upward push against the dashpot piston;

and the combined tension of the two springs 41 and 42 is exerted against the slowly discharging ai-r cushion formedrby virtue of the restricted dashpot valve passage 40.

I have therefore provided a dashpotpossessing a compound air locking means having in effect a triple mode of operation in that the strain of the opening press parts lfirst react against a tight air cushion; and

second the opening of the press quickly speeds up thru the unopposed pull of the eoil'springs; andthirdly the air lock is again and for the second time instituted to easily bring the head t-o rest by slightly opposing opening motion of not only the high pressure pedal but the closing pedal and operating toggle 8-13 as Well.

It is therefore seen that I have produced a press Whe-rein the handle 10 and/or pedal 14, with related parts toggle 8--13 and press lever 6, constitute operating means to openv and close the press; Yand that high pressure or compression mechanism for producing compression resides, forvinstance. in the pedal 20 and its toggle 22-23 and bell crank 11 with related elements; The dashpot 25 is connected to the high compression mechanism to take and absorb the shock and rebound ot the opening press.

Novel means, in the engaging or connecting lug 39, serves to engage or connect the operating means to the highfcompression mechanism so that one dashpot is effective against the openingmovement of the two independent sets of operating parts. It is significant that the connecting means 39 becomes operative only after t-he jaws have come from under high compression which is an advantage because all the capacity of the dashpot is thus utilized to dissipate the very substantial force let loose in the machine When -the press first opens. The pedal 14 and other party of the operating means is therefore free o i the dashpot-during the period of compression relief but the dashpot is immediately connected with the operating means after the high pressure is relieved.

Also it is significant that While thetwo springs 42 and 41, pull separately, against the operating means 14 and 8-13 to hasten the opening motion of the jaws, and also pull 4against the high com'ircssion mechanism 20 and 22e-3 to ret rn the same to non-compression position, vnevertheless the joint pulling'effort of both springs .is combined by the lug 39 touching lpedal 14, to rapidly move'thetwo independent sets of operating parts to lnormal position, this combining or joiner of the two springs taking place when pedal 14overtakes the lug 39. Lug 3) therefore 'auses the force of both springs, constituting a tensioning means 41-4Q, to exert itself against the single dash- Both springs combine into foiiei,iso to speak, the high compression mechanism to inactive open position, but it is seen Athat each spring is free to ac t independently of thel other during the early period off'tlie jaw opening movement.

Likewise the dashpot acts on one operating set only, namely the high pressure mechanism, during the early period of the opening movement, and thereafter acts on 'oragainst to rapidly open the press and restore the operating means to retard the rebound of the heavy moving parts and press head 7 as they come to rest in open position. VVhatI claim is: y* 1 1. A pressing machine combination vembodying relatively movable press members, operating means connected with one of the press members to close they press, a release' 4means for opening the press, a dash'pot connected with one of the press members to restrain the machine against sudden opening movement when released, means in the dashpot for locking the compressed .air therein during the first portion of the stroke, means for releasing rapidly the air to hasten the opening movement during part of the re- 'maining stroke, and means gradually diminishing the air release during the final part of the stroke and opening motion of the press. ,f

2. A pressing machine j Vcomprising a frame, a pressing member niounted thereon, a press lever pivoted in the frame. a press head carried by the lever, a depending vlink pivotally .attached to the press lever, a bell crank having one arm pivotally.connected to the depending link forming a toee'le and having -the other arm thereof extending to- Ward the front of the machine. a lifting y lever pivotally mounted in the frame with one end extending upwardly and the other end horizontally and pivotally supporting 'MHT against the forwardly directed arm of the bell lcrank, a second named toggle connected with the lifting lever, and means to operate thesecond toggle.

3. A pressing frame,

machine comprising a a press lever pivoted in the frame, a press into a pedal.

head carried by the lever, a depending link pivotally attached to the press lever, a bell crank having one arm pivotally` connected to the depending link forming toggle and having the other arm thereof extending toward the front ofthe machine, a' lifting lever pivotally mounted in the frame with one end extending upwardly and theother end horizontally and pivotally supporting the bell crank, a handle on'the press head to manually lower the head and straighten the toggle, a kick-olf means to thrust upwardly against the forwardly directed arm of the toggle connected means to operate thek bell crank, a second named with the lifting lever, l second toggle, and a foot piece attachable to the forwardly directed arm to convertit 4. A pressing machine comprising a frame, a bell crank pivoted on the frame, a second bell crank pivotally carried by the rst named bell crank and adapted to be lifted thereby, a press head operated by the second bell crank, a buck carried by the frame, hand closing means on the head for` closing the head and operating the second bell crank, a toggle connected with the first named bell .crank, a high pressure lever connected with the toggle, and a foot piece carried by the second named bell crank to facilitatel the closing of the head.

' 5. A pressing machine comprising a frame, a bell crank pivoted second bell crank pivotally carried by the rstnamed bell crank and adapted to be lifted thereby, a press head operated by the Y second bell crank, a buck carried by the a toggle connected with the movable mem-- frame, hand closing means on the head for closing the head and operating the second bell crank, a toggle connected with the first named bell crank, a high pressure lever connected with the toggle, and a kick-off means cooperating with the second bell crank to open the press.

6. A pressing machine comprising a.

fixed press member and a movable member,

ber and adapted to raise and lower it upon the fixed rpress member, a kick-off arm carried by the toggle, a high pressure pedal having connection with the movable press member and adapted'to impose high pressure thereupon, with the high pressure pedal, and a connection established between the kick-off arm and the high pressure pedal whereby the cushioning device cooperates with both the v high pressure pedal and the kick-off arm.

a pressing member mounted thereon,

on the frame, a-

a cushioning device connectedA 7. A pressing machine embodying relatively movable pressing members and operating means to open and close the press, a

high pressure lever adapted to impose high pressure on the press after the said press is closed, a kick-off means to first relieve the press of high pressure and subsequently to open the press, a cushioning means possessling a positively closed air lock working against the first few degrees of opening movement, a device embodied in the cushioning means to relieve the'air lock after the high pressure has been removed from' the press, a connecting means established between the high pressure lever and press closing means, and means for increasin the end of the opening stroke.

. 8. A press comprising, a frame, press jaws carried thereby, operating means to openV and close the jaws, high pressure mechanism to produce jaw compression, and

a dashpot connected with the mechanism to first abiorb the shock from the jaws as they are released from compression; and means for thereafter applying the dashpot to the operating means after compression is released to retard the rebound of the jaws at the end of the jaw opening movement.

9. A press comprising, a frame, press jaws carried thereby, operating means to open and close the jaws, high pressure mechanism to produce jaw compression, anda dashpot connected with the mechanism to first absorb the shock from the jaws as they are released from compression; and means carried with the high pressure mechanism adapted to be engaged by the operating means so that the dashpot is effectiveagainst said operating mea-ns after compression is released.

10. A press comprising, a frame, press jaws carried thereby, operating means to open and close the jaws, high pressure' mechanism to produce jaw compression, and

pot connected with the high pressure mech-- a-nism, and means to engage. one pedal with the other after compression is released to thereafter apply the dashpot against both pedals.

12. A press comprising, a frame, press jaws carried thereby, operating means car- 'press opening 'parts during. the

the cushioning effect at ried on the frame to open and close the jaws, and high pressure mechanism carried on the frame to produce jaw compression; a spring connected with the operating means to hasten the jaw opening movement, a spring means engages the high pressure mechanism so that both springs pull together during the final jaw opening movement.

13. A press comprising, a frame, press jaws carried thereby; operating means to open and close the jaws including, 'a pedal, and means connecting the pedal to a jaw;

vhigh pressure' mechanism .to 'produce jaw compression including, a pedal, .and means connecting this last pedal to a jaw;a spring connected to the first pedal to hasten motion of the operating means, a spring connected with the second named pedal to hasten motion of the high pressure mechanism, and meanswhereby the two pedals engage one ously acted on by the springs.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signaturethis 25 day of Se t. 1923,' in the city of Syracuse, county o Onondaga, and State of another to cause the same to be simultane- 

